Dignity Bought And Paid For
by lampfghgh
Summary: Sequel to Auctions and Dignity. It's five years later, and Hermione's lost the only one she's ever loved. When he comes back, he see's something horrifying and leaves she never knew he was alive, a surprising engagement brings him back! DISCONTINUED!
1. The Hero

**Disclaimer: Alana doesn't own Harry Potter.**

**Telepathically, i hear you all. "WHAT?!" Yes it is! It's the sequal! Truth be told, i suck with secrets and this was gnawing away at me. Here it is my loves, the sequal to Auctions and Dignity. Hope you like it!**

**WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH**

If we must part forever

Give me but one kind word to think upon

And please myself with, while my heart's breaking.

_Thomas Otway._

**Whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh (I love you Whoosh, i love you _hard._)**

In a journalist's world, chaos, mayhem, anarchy, grief, sadness – all of the things that cause such misery, it's all bread and butter to them. Their weekly wage out of a front page headliner.

_Grief Takes Hogwarts._

_Death In The Wizarding World._

But the newspaper that sold the most copies for months and months, was the one with a celebratory tone.

_Lord Voldemort Defeated._

There had never been so many celebrations in the History of Albus Dumbledore, and that man had seen his share of decades. Drunken declarations of _"Too bad someone beat me to it!" _and _"Oh i never really was scared of him!"_ filled the ears of every happy magical being in the world.

Actually, not every magical being.

Hermione granger hadn't even registered that Voldemort was dead. She had noticed vaguely, that people were happier, but she couldn't understand why.

How could people be happy? Every ounce of happiness, every smile she'd ever had was all gone. Just like he was.

Draco had left her, and there was absolutely nothing in this or any other world that would ever make her feel as happy as she was with him again. _Nothing._

Everything had gone in a blur, she didn't know how she had gotten there, but she had been in Draco's old room, lying on his bed for days now, in total undisturbed silence.

No Slytherin would dare approach her, they all could see a true breaking heart. Pansy had also kept everyone away.

Having his possessions surrounding her was the only way she felt near him. She knew that if she left that room, it would be like giving up, and there was no-way in hell she'd be doing that.

For four days she was left in her solace of his room, she didn't eat, sleep or see anyone. The only thing she could do was cry. Letting parts of her soul, hear heart and the reason for her existence leave her with every drop.

Then her solace was invaded, by someone _very_ unexpected.

"Miss Granger?"

She hadn't been crying that time. Just sitting on the bed with her knees drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped around them and staring into nothing, but when she heard the voice she looked up and saw someone the whole of the wizarding world was talking about. Harry Potter.

He sat down on the end of the bed and reached to hug her, but she pulled away.

"Hey." He said timidly. She didn't say anything back.

He wasn't the one who should be talking to her, or touching her. The only voice she wanted to hear and touch she wanted to feel was Draco's, but he was gone.

She looked at him, and what she saw was unnerving. He had the look of a man who had seen the entire world in five seconds, and had more experience than anyone ever would. He had been through so much, and could have been anywhere in the world, and she couldn't even talk to him. Suddenly overwhelmed with guilt, she tried to humour him.

"Hi." She choked out.

They sat in silence after that. Harry didn't seem to want to say anything, and that's as far as Hermione got.

"Hermione, there's something you should know about the way Draco d-"

She burst out crying again, drawing his pillow closer to her which was already soaked through with tears.

Harry wrapped his arms around her and patted her on the back.

But none of it could bring him back.

"He was a hero Hermione."

She listened to him.

"Hermione, this is what happened-"

_Harry Potter had never been more scared in his life. Everyone in the room was scared, but all of them would admit to not being as scared as him. Although they didn't seem to see through his facade, and kept charging death eaters with inspiration that had come from his speech. However fabricated it was._

_As lights passed his eyes and went inches by his skin, he started seeing things that made him realize at once, about all the hate in the world._

_Everyone was dying. Beside him were bodies laying still on the floor, a condition that could not be remedied. _

_Harry looked to his left, and there was death eater trying to curse Blaise behind his back, while he was fighting off another death eater. Harry raised his wand and uttered the first of many unforgiveables that night._

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

_The death eater went down in a flash of green, and though it was just a colour the vibrancy and meaning of it was so hurtful, every time he saw it he thought about that damned colour, was what started all of this. It made him angry, and with every death eater he saw he shot the curse and the colour from his wand at them, and each time he saw it he was hit with sudden bursts of motivation._

"_Harry Potter."_

_The owner of the voice came from him. Lord Voldemort, who was standing right in front of him._

"_Lord fucking Voldemort." He spat. _

_The entire of Harry's world stopped. This was all that mattered now. This moment, the moment he was born to live._

_Words were not needed, instead they both bowed._

_As Voldemort and Harry circled each other, baiting each other, Draco Malfoy was fighting off his own worst enemy. His father._

_Narcissa was dead and the bastard in front of him was to blame._

"_Son, you are such a disappointment." Lucias smirked._

_Draco didn't take the bait, just held up his wand waiting for a moment of vulnerability._

_Lucius moved the way Draco had expected him to, but he didn't take the shot. Something was holding him back, as if there was a blockage in his mind._

_Lucius fired at him._

"_CRUCIO!"  
Draco moved swiftly, not paying attention to where the light went, but when he looked he saw Blaise being hit by the curse._

_Anger boiled in him, and with new found hate he took advantage of it all._

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!" _

_The curse hit directly in the heart, and Lucius Malfoy died that instant._

_He barely had time to let it sink in when he saw another flash of light from the other side of the room._

_A bright green light was forming at the end of Voldemort's wand, and Draco knew that moment what he had to do. Even if it meant losing everything he ever loved. He looked down at his rings at the initials that represented the person that took his whole heart, and felt his heart ache._

"_I love you Hermione." He said to the ring, and then ran quickly, throwing himself in front of Harry right as the light came out of the wand._

_He shut his eyes tightly and took in a deep breath as the light hit...his ring._

_Unknowingly, Hermione had put every protection spell known on that ring, and Draco wasn't killed. But the sheer intensity of the curse, and the impact of his head hitting the stone floors, gave him the appearance of death._

_But to everyone else in the room, Draco Malfoy had just died._

_Harry watched shocked as it all happened, and then when Draco laid lifeless on the floor, he instantly felt more grateful than he could ever say, more guilt, and then he felt sympathy for Hermione._

_That in mind, Harry Potter raised his wand, pointed it at the target, and screamed in a much louder voice and with more power than anyone in the entire wizarding world had ever had; "AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

_Voldemort was dead._

"He was a hero Hermione." Harry said softly.

She cried harder than ever, and though she would never admit it to anyone ever, she felt a strange sort of resentment towards Harry. Like he was the reason Draco had died.

**Whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh**

Years went by, five In fact. Hermione Granger now twenty two years old, had absolutely nothing that her friends did. Blaise and Ginny had gotten married, and had recently had two baby girls, twins. Named Elizabeth and Molly. They both worked as Aurors, just as Harry did. Pansy and Hermione worked as Healers.

Pansy, if there was someone that knew what she was going through it was Pansy. It had been five years, and Ron hadn't come out of his coma. Pansy had taken him on as her exclusive patient, and every hour of the day she was by his side, trying new methods and spells. But nothing worked.

Hermione was over at Ginny and Blaise's house, and was sitting in a rocking chair holding her not really related neice Molly. Blaise and Ginny were in the kitchen, preparing food and Harry came through to her and put his hand on her shoulder, as she stared down at the baby wondering what it would have been like to have a baby, with the only man she ever loved.

Harry looked down at Hermione holding Ginny's daughter, and smiled. He realized then what he had to do.

Neither of them noticed a horrified face looking in through the window.

**Hell yes baby. I'm back.**

**Next chapter will be filling in Tonks, Luna, more about them all, and stuff.**

**YAY!**

**REVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEWREVIEW.**


	2. Settling

**J.k Rowling owns me.**

**I'll be the first to admit I'm an idiot. I've had months, a trip to Barcelona, my exams, and now the summer holidays to figure out some things. IM A GOOD WRITER. I'm not a Rowling a Shakespeare a Wilde a Bronte an Austen or even a five year old with a crayon and a vengeance, but i love writing. I like making people laugh, i like making them cry. Hell i even like it when they criticize me because at least they're taking they're own time to do something relating to something I've done. I was in such a bad place a few months ago. Since then I've been in so many adventures, and even though in some of it I'm in an even worse place, who cares? Maybe writing will help fix that. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. You are the love of my life. **

**Ahem. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!**

"Hermione? Hermione _Granger?_"

Luna lovegood came waltzing over to her arms full of packages and envelopes. She didn't look any different, except she was taller, but that was not a bad thing. Luna had always been beautiful.

It actually made her feel self conscious, after half a day of dealing with sick and bloody people, she wasn't looking all that snazzy. Her pale blue healing robes were dotted in blood, and she had chosen the remote cafe for lunch because she didn't want to be seen, but trust Luna to show up for the first time in years on a day she was trying to be invisible.

Hermione plastered on a smile and stood up to allow Luna embrace her in a bone crushing hug, at the same time balancing her overflowing items in her arms, now _that_ was a hidden talent.

"Luna!" She said genuinely happily. "How have you been?"

The blonde woman sat down next to her, putting down all the envelopes and packages and smiled.

"It's Leonard's birthday in a week, and I'm trying to organize the best birthday bash the world has ever seen!"

The scary thing was, she probably wasn't exaggerating.

Luna smiled and then looked serious.

"How are _you_ doing Hermione?"

She sat before answering wondering if Luna's tone was more condescending or concerned, as she did every time she heard that question. Though the blonde's kind expression made her think she was perhaps genuine.

"Um, okay." She lied.

Really, she was kind of okay. Her job was fine. Tedious, but fine. There wasn't even any scars from the war anymore. Physical scars anyway.

It didn't help any that Luna's hair was perhaps almost the same shade as Draco's hair. It's all she could think of as she looked at her, so instead she lowered her head to her lap.

"Really?" Luna pressed on. "Of course it's almost expected for you to be upset. I suppose you're sick of that question."  
That was true, but it still didn't have to be said, not in her mind.

"Well I'm doing alright." Hermione shrugged.

Luna nodded.

It was quiet for a while after that, until Luna looked at Hermione with a genuinely apologetic look.

"I'm so sorry Hermione, but i have to go. I promised Neville i would be home early tonight." She smiled and the both girls stood up and hugged.

"Don't be a stranger." Luna smiled and then left.

Hermione sat back down, and noticed that her drink had gone cold, and with that she apparated home, Luna's hair still dancing through her mind.

**Whoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh**

The key in the lock got stuck as _usual, _but Hermione didn't hold it against her house, it was old after all.

Still though, it wasn't her favorite aspect of life.

Eventually she did get in, it was just annoying. She went into her house, put her keys on the table that they belonged, and wasted no time in going over to her couch and flopping down on it. She sighed and let her head rest until she felt comfortable. This moment of solace and comfort was interrupted though, when the distinctive sound of someone apparating caught her.

Harry sat down next to her and she looked at him, half annoyed and half amused.

"Just because you know how to lower my wards doesn't mean you can come whenever you want you know." She closed her eyes again and tried to fight off sleep.

"Long day?" he asked comfortingly and she smiled at him before letting her head rest against his shoulder.

"No not really."

He seemed to understand. It was a _Draco_ day, as they had been dubbed for the last few years.

_The worst day possible._ Harry mused. _But i can't hold it in any longer._

"Hermione." Harry said and she tilted her head to look at him.

He closed the gap and kissed her softly.

Chapped lips, that felt a little too cold. Yet still an embrace.

They parted quickly, mostly out of his anxiousness.

"okay." She said softly, without expression.

His though, was of pure delight.

He grinned as if having reached Nirvana, and held her close to him before seemingly changing his mind and getting off the couch.

She wondered what he was doing until he kneeled down in front of her, then suddenly it was all so clear.

He pulled out a box and inside was a plain silver band with an elaborate diamond set dead in the middle.

It looked so unfriendly. As if it was a bribe.

His hopeful look seemed to kill off her cynical thoughts though, as she mustered up a smile for him and nodded, as an answer.

They hugged after he slipped the heavy ring onto her finger.

In the corner of her dark brain, a voice whispered that making this decision on a Draco day was cruel to Harry, as she was vulnerable, but another part longed for a partner, even though she knew Harry would never compare.

The fortress of solitude she had learned to have to protect herself would now have to be replaced with a heavy pressing of guilt, against her weeping heart.

**Whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh**

Four months, two days, and four hours later, the engagement of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger was announced. Every single paper went on and on about it for months, until eventually Hermione felt like she'd be drawn to murder.

Ginny was there to make sure she didn't go to Azkaban though.

"I'm so happy for you!" The red head said as she smiled and held Molly while her husband beside her held Elizabeth.

Hermione smiled somewhat Jackelyn and nodded.

"Yeah. Me too."

Blaise and Ginny looked at each other, frowned, then looked back at the object of the wizarding world's gossip.

"We hope you know what you're doing." Blaise said.

Hermione looked at them. The _perfect_ loved up family. If she wanted any kind of happiness, she could always have a _chance_ of _possibly_ finding it with Harry.

"Me too."

**whoosh.**

No-one knew. How could anyone possibly know? He didn't bloody announce it in the bloody papers.

Unlike a _different_ sort of people.

So as his tailored shoes walked down the worn pavement nearing a familiar Diagon Alley, he stood stationary only long enough for everyone to see him in plain view.

Draco Malfoy in all his glory was back. Very much alive, and there was only one person on his mind.

Harry Potter.

**Whoosh.**

**Alana May Wilkinson owes it all to you.**

**P.s.**

**I am VERY much aware i need a Beta. **


	3. Blaise's Feeling

**Disclaimer: I own nuzzing 'cept ze plot. Also, I'm not french.**

**WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH.**

Apparently good news traveled fast.

Harry Potter grinned to himself in his office as yet more people walked in to congratulate him on his engagement. Usually he hated attention but he loved it today, but not as much as he loved Hermione Granger. He first realized he loved her when She started officially loving Draco Malfoy. It had been hard, but he suffered in silence until he died, and he waited a respectable amount of time to allow her to heal, and then figuratively, pounced. He hoped she was as happy as he was.

He smiled and organized for a dozen tulips to be delivered to her house. He'd make sure she was as happy as he was.

He whistled to himself, being an auror in these times was great. There was hardly any death eaters, and he enjoyed work. He got along with all his colleagues and even the hours were reasonable. He didn't see how this day could get any better.

He also didn't see how this day could turn to crap, but it happened.

Maybe he should have recognized the distinctive sound of wealthy shoes clinking along marble as the feet they harbored walked with an air of grace, but he didn't. If his doors had been opened, he might have seen his secretary's shocked face, but he didn't.

So when three confident raps against his office door sounded, he thought perhaps it was another person offering their congratulations, and he called for them to come in with a cheery voice.

Instead of a kind soul, he got Draco Malfoy leaning in his door way wearing a smirk.

"Hey Potter."

**whooooooooooooooooooooooooosh.**

_Dear Miss Nymphadora Tonks. We regret to inform you that Remus Lupin and Severus Snape have gone missing as they fought for the light in the war of the damned. Dear Miss Nymphadora Tonks. We regret to inform you that Remus Lupin and Severus Snape have gone missing as they fought for the light in the war of the damned. Dear Miss Nymphadora Tonks. We regret to inform you that Remus Lupin and Severus Snape have gone missing as they fought for the light in the war of the damned. Dear Miss Nymphadora Tonks. We regret to inform you that Remus Lupin and Severus Snape have gone missing as they fought for the light in the war of the damned. _

Each way, and in every tone she read it, the words would simply not change. Tonks had kept the letter, for reasons unknown, and all those years later she would still convulse in tears each time she read it. The two loves of her life had died, or at least gone missing and hadn't shown up in years.

She had done nothing with her life either. She had remained at Hogwarts, teaching Potions, and assisting in Defense Against The Dark Arts, but everyone knew that was really a tribute more than a career choice. She hadn't married, or dated and not for lack of attention. Because she couldn't bring herself to. She rarely saw her family or friends, because she couldn't face them. She was a shell of a person. She hadn't even changed her hair colour from black, as a sign of her mourning.

She was a broken person.

She didn't even care about floors anymore.

**Whoosh.hsoohw.Whoosh.hsoohw.**

Draco hated the man in front of him. He had a huge office, a great career, a wonderful lifestyle, and thousands of people in the world that loved him. Though really, Draco only cared about one of those people, and she was displayed quite well in a picture that was on the man's desk.

He stared at it.

She was beautiful. Exquisite. Magnificent. _She was the only perfect person in the world_.

And she was in love with Harry Potter.

How could she so easily discard him? He would never stop loving her.

"Hey Potter." He smirked and the man in question gaped at him.

"Dr...Draco?!" He gasped and the blonde chuckled as he walked into the room confidently, and with a hint of malice.

The tension was unbelievable in the room. Harry was still shocked, and Draco was just filled with hate and envy.

Then Harry Potter, champion of the good and protector of justice spoke.

"What. The. Fuck?!"

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Your conversational skills have improved i see." Draco said as he sat down calmly on the seat in front of Harry's desk.

Harry sat opposite him, and stared in shock.

"How is this possible?! I mean, it's great to see you!" Harry grinned and Draco rolled his eyes disbelievingly.

"Look Potter, i don't care about being friends with you. Why are you and Hermione together?"

The atmosphere changed at once.

Harry looked at the man as if he hadn't been gone for years. Nothing else mattered except the subject they were talking about. Hermione.

Harry smirked, rivaling Draco's own.

"Because we're in _love."_

Even Harry would admit that his voice was dripping in a smug tone that he probably would have hated if used at him.

Draco's eyes flashed, and turned to slits.

"Say that again, Potter."

"She. Loves. Me." Harry grinned.

For one moment, Harry thought that Draco would hit him, but then Draco regained his composure closed his eyes, smirked, and stood up calmly.

"Even if that were so Potter, and i highly doubt that, things will change quite soon." He smirked, his coldest and most hate filled yet. Then swiftly left the room.

Once the door was closed, Harry Potter took out his wand and took every frustration out on his wall. Throwing every curse and hex he knew at it.

He would be fucking _damned_ if Draco Malfoy took away the only thing he had left to love.

One of them was going down, and it wouldn't be him.

**Whoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooosh.**

"I think maybe it's time Hermione, we executed what we planned a year ago. Plan B." Ginny said as she rocked Molly backwards and forwards on her knee.

The little girl grinned up at her mother.

Hermione did not. Instead she opted to glare at the red head.

"Plan B as you call it was a stupid idea you concocted after too much alcohol. You took advantage of my vulnerability and made me promise." Hermione whined and her best friend laughed.

"And yet you did promise. So you can't go back on your word!"

"Ginny, I'm not conjuring a wedding dress. Plan A of buying one hasn't finished yet. I haven't given up hope." Hermione said and sipped her tea.

Blaise walked into his living room with Elizabeth in his arms to find his wife, other child, and one of his best friends smiling at him.

"Hey Blaise." Hermione smiled and Ginny straightened up to kiss him when he leaned down to her.

Hermione couldn't help but feel a little depressed at the display of love she admitted deep down to herself that she would never have with Harry.

Blaise looked troubled as he sat with them, something not normal for the usual happy-go-lucky man.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked him.

"I have a feeling Gin." Blaise said. Ginny looked alarmed.

"Do you sense something? Is there something wrong with Lizzie? Quick let me see-"

"No Ginny." Blaise smiled. "I just feel something. Somethings changed, and i can't tell what, but i feel a storm coming."

"And i don't think you mean a literal storm either?" Hermione asked dryly as she laughed.

Simultaneously, an owl flew into the room and left a letter on Hermione's lap, while at the same time they all heard someone calling from the floo.

Blaise went to inspect the other room, and Hermione read her letter.

"It's Harry." She said dispassionately, "He wants me to see him, says it's urgent." She stood up and looked apologetically at Ginny and her niece.

"I'll be back soon."

With that, she apparated away.

Ginny smiled at her daughter, completely at peace until her husband's scream of either joy or terror made her run into the other room.

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

Ginny looked up, to see the very determined, and very alive Draco Malfoy, and he was on a mission.

**Incase people are thinking this will be like a five chapter thing, it wont!:D**

**Hope you're enjoying this.**

**x**


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